1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 GW
Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire. Don’t despise what God has revealed.
Beloved,
The Bible admonishes us not to despise prophecy, that is, we must not treat prophecy as something of little or no value. This admonition is necessary because it is a possibility, that people despise prophecy. Let’s look at some reasons why people easily discount prophecies so that we can avoid them.
People despise prophecy when their judgement of the prophecy and the prophet is not accurate. The Bible says,
2 Chronicles 20:20 NKJV
“… Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
When you do not correctly estimate the Lord and His prophets and God’s word through, you will be limited in how much you can receive and how much you can profit with the word spoken to you. Don’t treat the word of the Lord through His prophet who you know to be authentic and you have accepted as an authority over you life as the word of a mere man; treat it as what it is: God’s word to you.
Another reason people despise prophecy is because they have a natural profane attitude to spiritual things. Another version puts part of our opening scripture thus:
1 Thessalonians 5:19 AMP
Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit.
Some people just always choose to be unresponsive to the workings of the Spirit. Whether due to pride or ignorance, they never see the big deal in spiritual matters. Such people cannot but despise prophecy.
Other people despise prophecy because they simply forget prophecy. This is why you must write down your prophecies and regularly go over them. If you treasure the word you receive from the Lord, you will document them.
Attached to every prophecy is work that must be done on the part of the recipient to ensure it comes to manifestation. When you refuse to find out and work the work attached to the fulfillment of your prophecy, you are treating it as if it of no value. Next time, we will look at how to correctly receive prophecy.
I commend you to God and to the word of His grace.
I call you blessed. I call you NATIONS.
